1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to picture processing devices, and particularly to game machines.
2. Related Art
In recent years, numerous picture images processing devices of the type called three-dimensional game machines are being proposed. These picture processing devices define various characters within a virtual space formed by a computer, and at the same time, realize picture processing such as moving characters by taking in operational information from the game player via peripheral equipment such as joysticks.
The results of this picture processing are shown to the player via a television monitor as an image seen from a viewpoint called a virtual camera, which is arranged inside a three-dimensional virtual space.
One example of this type of picture processing device is a game device which competes in who is superior in shooting down characters indicated on a screen (for example, "Virtua Cop" by Sega Enterprises, Ltd.). This game device is structured so that while a virtual camera moves along a predetermined course inside a three-dimensional space, specific characters are shown in zoom, or identification marks are placed around a character to enable the game player to more easily recognize the character to be attacked.
In this game device, a game player pulls the trigger of a model gun pointed toward the screen, and an integrated sensor unit of the model gun detects the scan lines of the screen. By calculating the time up to the detection of the scan lines, it is judged whether any character has been hit.